Business and Labor

Economic Development
World Trade and Tourism
Small Business
Labor Relations
Workers' Compensation
Unemployment Insurance
Financial Institutions
Miscellaneous

Economic Development

SB 130 (Knight-R) Economic development: enterprise zones

Requires establishment of an enterprise zone in the City of Barstow.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 327 (Scott-D) California State University: biotechnology

Expresses a variety of legislative findings and declarations regarding the California State University and its Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology. Is implementation language for a $250,000 biotechnology center that was included in the 2001-02 State Budget Act.

Chapter 403, Statutes of 2001

SB 439 (Monteith-R) Environmental quality: homeownership, employment & education

Declares the policy of the state to be to develop and maintain a high-quality environment through homeownership, employment, and educational opportunities, now and in the future, and requires consideration of the effects of proposed projects on the environment and these areas.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

SB 660 (Haynes-R) California Neighborhood Initiative

Enacts the California Neighborhood Initiative to designate 25 California Renewal Communities to be limited with federal funding, public or private resources and state resources.

(In Senate Housing and Community Development Committee)

SB 784 (Torlakson-D) Balancing jobs and growth

Modifies the Jobs-Housing Balance Incentive Grant Program to allow the program to run through at least one annual cycle, and allows local use of the grant awards for any locally-determined need rather than being restricted to capital purposes.

Chapter 608, Statutes of 2001

SB 857 (Soto-D) Regional Technology Alliances

Declares legislative intent that the State Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency establish three regional technology alliances in the Inland Empire, the San Joaquin Valley, and the Sacramento Region, respectively.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 865 (Polanco-D) California and Mexico Border Infrastructure

Establishes a nine-member California and Mexico Border Infrastructure Financing Authority within the State Treasurer's Office.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 888 (Dunn-D) Economic development: enterprise zones

Requires establishment of an enterprise zone in the "Little Saigon" area of Orange County.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 975 (Alarcon-D) California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank

Defines "public funds" used in "public projects" and states legislative intent that projects financed through industrial development bonds issued by the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank must comply with existing laws pertaining to prevailing wages.

Chapter 938, Statutes of 2001

SB 1067 (Haynes-R) California New Markets Venture Capital Program Act of 2001

Enacts the California New Markets Venture Capital Program which authorizes participation agreements with eligible companies enabling them to make developmental venture capital investments in smaller enterprises in low- or moderate-income areas.

(In Senate Housing and Community Development)

AB 13 (Florez-D) San Joaquin Valley Economic Development Corridor

Establishes a program to be administered by the San Joaquin Valley Economic Development Joint Powers Authority to enhance economic development within the boundaries of the authority.

(In Assembly Job, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

AB 31* (Reyes-D) Central Valley Infrastructure Grant Program

Establishes, until January 1, 2007, the Central Valley Infrastructure Grant Program in the State Department of Housing and Community Development for the purpose of providing grants, beginning September 1, 2001, for qualifying projects to rural small cities in the counties of Fresno, Kings, Kern, Tulare, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin.

Chapter 746, Statutes of 2001

AB 46 (Washington-D) Enterprise zones

Expands the number of authorized enterprise zones from 39 to 42.

Chapter 587, Statutes of 2001

AB 82 (Washington-D) Community colleges: job training partnerships

Requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to allocate funds to defray the costs of a qualifying community college campus of entering into a collaborative agreement with a community-based organization to provide specific job training services.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 87 (Jackson-D) Community colleges: work site-based training

Requires the California Community Colleges to award grants to local districts to develop specified curricula and pilot programs to provide training to licensed nurses. Appropriates $5 million.

Chapter 514, Statutes of 2001

AB 112 (Longville-D) California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank

Includes the acquisition of sensitive "wildlife habitat" as an eligible project for financing from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 185 (Wright-D) State contracts: local agency military base

Makes several clarifying and technical changes to the Local Agency Military Base Recover Act, relative to the work that must be done at work sites to qualify for certain preferences, to bring it in line with the Target Area Contract Preference Act and the Enterprise Zone Act.

Chapter 412, Statutes of 2001

AB 202 (Corbett-D) Joint Enforcement Strike Force on the Underground Economy

Includes the State Department of Insurance in the Joint Enforcement Strike Force on the Underground Economy.

Chapter 180, Statutes of 2001

AB 251 (Vargas-D) Jobs for California Graduates Program

Expands the Jobs for California Graduates Program from a regional to a statewide program and appropriates $2,500,000 to the State Employment Development Department for this purpose.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 410 (Salinas-D) Office of Rural Policy

Establishes the Office of Rural Policy in the Governor's Office for the purpose of advocating on behalf of, and assisting, rural communities.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

AB 499 (Cogdill-R) Balancing jobs with housing

Designates an enterprise zone, and a targeted tax area, and makes other changes intended to mitigate current and future imbalances of jobs and housing in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Committee)

AB 502 (Frommer-D) California Film Finance Act

Establishes a program within the State Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency to guarantee loans for California film production.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 692 (Aroner-D) Individual Development Accounts

Repeals and re-establishes the California Savings and Asset Project to match low-income participants' savings in Individual Development Accounts.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 983* (Briggs-R) Enterprise zones: City of Fresno

Allows governing body of the Fresno Enterprise Zone to reconfigure its boundaries with approval of the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 1001 (Longville-D) Space industry

Creates a new type of geographically-based economic incentive area known as a Spaceport Development Zone.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 1009 (Wyland-R) Partnership academies

Increases the number of students in partnership academies not considered at-risk from one-third to one-half of the participating students and defines the criteria to be used for non at-risk students allowed in the partnership academies when the academy is unable to enroll enough at-risk students.

Chapter 216, Statutes of 2001

AB 1382* (Liu-D) Space industry development

Merges the Space and Technology Alliance and the Western Commercial Space Center into the California Spaceport Authority, and creates the Space Industry Advisory Committee.

Chapter 752, Statutes of 2001

AB 1470 (Reyes-D) Business, Transportation and Housing Agency: offices

Moves the duties of the State Office of Local Development, the State Office of Business Development, the State Office of Small Business and the State Economic Adjustment Unit from the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency to the State Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

AB 1471 (Diaz-D) Economic development

Limits to $5 million the amount that may be transferred by the Director of the State Department of Finance from the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties to the Small Business Expansion Fund for use by the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency. Removes certain requirements of small business financial development corporations, grants the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor authority pertaining to the issuance of tax exempt bonds, and extends the sunset date on this authority from January 1, 2002, to January 1, 2007.

Chapter 508, Statutes of 2001

AB 1677 (Koretz-D) Garment manufacturing

Requires the State Labor Commissioner to appoint a statutorily established advisory committee on the garment industry by no later than January 31, 2002.

(On Senate Inactive File)

NOTE: See Income/Corporation Tax for other economic development-related legislation.

World Trade and Tourism

SB 179 (Scott-D) Overseas trade offices: Republic of Armenia

Establishes an overseas trade office in Yerevan, in the Republic of Armenia.

(In Senate Banking, Commerce and International Trade Committee)

SB 945 (Machado-D) International trade development

Requires the Secretary of the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency to designate a liaison for international trade development.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

SB 946 (Machado-D) Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency

Requires a report from the Secretary of State Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency to the Senate and Assembly policy committees regarding the policies, plans, budgeting, and accomplishments of the agency.

(In Senate Banking, Commerce and International Trade Committee)

SB 1111 (Kuehl-D) International trade agreements

Requires the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency to review the impact of international trade agreements on state environmental law and prepares a report by January 1, 2003.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 137 (Reyes-D) Agriculture: foreign marketing

Establishes the California Overseas Agriculture Exports Service Program in the State Department of Food and Agriculture.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 366 (Oropeza-D) Overseas trade offices: proposals

Establishes a procedure in the California World Trade Commission for proposal and evaluation of new overseas trade offices in the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 525 (Briggs-R) Overseas trade offices: Caucuses Region

Requires the Governor to instruct the Director of the California State World Trade Commission to establish a trade office in the Caucuses Region to serve the Caucuses, Central Asia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

AB 625 (Oropeza-D) Overseas trade offices: reports

Requires the California Foreign Trade Office to ensure that each overseas trade office reports to the State Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency on its effectiveness in achieving the goals of expanding export sales of California products and services.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

AB 626 (Oropeza-D) California Office of Export Development

Requires the California Office of Export Development to develop and implement a program to provide technical and financial assistance to California manufacturers and service industries that produce goods and services for export.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee)

AB 627 (Oropeza-D) Industry Export Marketing Fund

Establishes, until January 2005, a fund for the purpose of providing matching grants for marketing California products in overseas markets.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 704 (Cedillo-D) Tourism: conventions and convention centers

Requires the Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency to develop and implement a "convention center infrastructure plan" within the California Tourism Commission by July 1, 2002 to enhance the state's convention business.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 968 (Chan-D) State Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency

Amends existing law to formally place the Offices of Foreign Investment, Export Development, California-Mexico Affairs, Trade Policy and Research, and Export Finance, and the California State World Trade Commission, and international trade and investment offices formally within the International Trade and Investment Division of the State Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency. Makes other technical, conforming changes to statute to eliminate obsolete dates and terms, and reflects the state's current international trade activities.

Chapter 189, Statutes of 2001

AB 1157 (Liu-D) Trade Fellowship Pilot Program

Establishes the Trade Fellowship Pilot Program to place selected fellows in one of 12 California foreign trade offices to provide experience in international trade and state trade promotional programs.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1726 (Assembly Jobs, Economic Development And The Economy Committee) International trade: reports

Requires the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency to issue annual reports on its export and foreign development operations as well as the overseas trade offices.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

Small Business

SB 252 (Chesbro-D) Microenterprises

Requires the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency to provide matching grants to eligible recipients under the federal Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act of 1999 (PRIME Act).

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1033 (Knight-R) Disabled veteran business enterprises

Creates an additional three percent bid preference for certified small businesses that also are certified as disabled veteran business enterprises.

(Failed passage in Assembly Governmental Organization Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 1193 (Polanco-D) Small business programs

Requires the Secretary of the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, to establish a small business financial development corporation in southeast Los Angeles.

Chapter 674, Statutes of 2001

AB 482 (Cedillo-D) Healthy Families Program

Expands the Healthy Families Program (HFP) to small employers, provides a 50 percent state subsidy for employees with incomes below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, and requires employees to pay the HFP premium with the employer required to pay the remaining costs.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 737 (Oropeza-D) Disabled veteran business enterprises

Expands simplified contract bidding procedures to include disabled veteran business enterprises and requires that small businesses be certified in order to qualify for these exemptions.

Chapter 183, Statutes of 2001

AB 1471 (Diaz-D) Economic development

Limits to $5 million the amount that may be transferred by the Director of the State Department of Finance from the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties to the Small Business Expansion Fund for use by the State Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency. Removes certain requirements of small business financial development corporations, grants the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor authority pertaining to the issuance of tax exempt bonds, and extends the sunset date on this authority from January 1, 2002 to January 1, 2007.

Chapter 508, Statutes of 2001

ACR 67 (Nakano-D) Small Business Week

Requests the Governor to proclaim the week of May 6, 2001 through May 12, 2001, as California Small Business Week, in conjunction with National Small Business Week.

Resolution Chapter 45, Statutes of 2001

Labor Relations

SB 20 (Alarcon-D) Displaced janitors

Permits janitors to keep their jobs with a successor maintenance contractor up to 60 days when their employer of 25 or more employees has lost a janitorial contract.

Chapter 795, Statutes of 2001

SB 25 (Alarcon-D) Labor and Civil Rights Agency

Creates, effective July 1, 2002, a Labor and Civil Rights Agency in state government consisting of designated labor-related agencies.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 123 (Escutia-D) Department of Industrial Relations

Requires members of the Cal-OSHA Standards Board to be approved by the Senate and specifies that once a member's term of office expires, the member automatically ceases to be on the board.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 147 (Bowen-D) Employee computer records

Prohibits an employer from monitoring employee electronic mail or other computer records without first advising the employee of the employer's workplace privacy and monitoring policy.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 170 (Escutia-D) Advertising: lawsuits

Expresses the intent of the Legislature to explore the issue of multiple private lawsuits brought in the public interest under the Unfair Competition Law against an automobile dealer for false advertising violations, and determines whether legislation is necessary and appropriate to assure that these lawsuits are coordinated and/or resolved in a manner both fair to the dealers and consistent with the public interest.

(In Assembly; held at desk)

SB 278 (Alarcon-D) Commercial drivers: hours

Establishes a cause of action for a commercial driver against a motor carrier who requires or authorizes the driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle in excess of the maximum number of hours a driver is permitted to drive under state or federal law.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 410 (Kuehl-D) Arbitration

Provides that no employer may require an employee to agree to arbitrate any claims arising under the Fair Employment and Housing Act, as specified, as a condition of employment or continued employment, or may harass, discharge, expel, or otherwise discriminate against any person in any term or condition of employment because he/she has refused to agree to arbitrate any such claim.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 486 (Speier-D) Public safety: working warehouses

Requires a working warehouse to secure merchandise stored on shelves higher than 12 feet above the sales floor.

Chapter 856, Statutes of 2001

SB 504 (Scott-D) Employment discrimination: nonprofit

Permits a nonprofit public benefit corporation formed by, or affiliated with, a particular religion that operates an educational institution as its sole or primary activity, to restrict employment to individuals of that religion. Provides that such an institution shall in all other respects be subject to the Fair Employment and Housing Act.

Chapter 910, Statutes of 2001

SB 588 (Burton-D) Prevailing wages: payroll records

Permits federally-recognized joint labor-management committees access to certified payrolls on public works projects, and permits committees to seek civil court action to remedy prevailing wage violations.

Chapter 804, Statutes of 2001

SB 629 (Alarcon-D) Warehouse safety

Appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to the Seismic Safety Commission (SSC) for investigating the construction, use, and maintenance of storage racks in warehouse facilities to assess the hazards posed to worker safety. Requires SSC to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by January 15, 2003.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 871 (Burton-D) Commercial vehicles: compliance

Makes a number of changes to law relating to commercial vehicles to ensure existing provisions regarding drug and alcohol screening are followed and makes the carriers responsible when they are not.

Chapter 298, Statutes of 2001

SB 912 (Chesbro-D) Employment of minors

Extends the sunset date for Lake County agricultural packing plants to employ minors 16 and 17 years of age up to 60 hours per week during non-school periods, and requires specified reports and inspections.

Chapter 345, Statutes of 2001

SB 1027 (Romero-D) Employment: overtime: nurses and health care

Prohibits compulsory overtime for public and private industry registered nurses or health care industry employees after the conclusion of an employee's applicable daily work schedule and after 40 hours in a workweek, except during a declared state of emergency.

(On Senate Inactive File)

SB 1044 (Kuehl-D) Labor: international trade agreements

Requires the Director of the State Department of Industrial Relations to review and prepare a report that assesses the impact of international trade organizations and agreements on California labor laws and regulations.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1159 (Polanco-D) Labor standards

Requires the provisions of orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission regulating meal periods and rest periods of employees to apply to certain employees of public universities, as specified.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1197 (Romero-D) Sick leave

Provides that an employer absence control policy which counts sick leave used to care for a child, parent, or spouse as an absence which may lead to or result in discipline, discharge, demotion, or suspension shall constitute a per se violation of the law relating to sick leave.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1207 (Romero-D) Occupational safety and health

Extends requirements for firefighter safety currently afforded paid firefighters to volunteer firefighters.

Chapter 807, Statutes of 2001

SB 1208 (Romero-D) Working hours: overtime exemption

Exempts physicians from premium overtime pay requirements and clarifies provisions of AB 60 (Knox), Chapter 134, Statutes of 1999, with respect to the exclusion of an employee covered by a qualified collective bargaining agreement from specified statutory requirements.

Chapter 148, Statutes of 2001

SB 1215 (Escutia-D) Department of Industrial Relations

Requires the Governor's appointments of members of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to be subject to approval by the Senate and limits to 60 days the time after the expiration of a term of office that a Standard Board member may hold that office.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 181 (Koretz-D) Employment: minimum wage

Enacts the Living Wage Act which requires the Industrial Welfare Commission to establish the hourly minimum wage at not less than $7.25 effective January 1, 2003, $7.75 effective January 1, 2004, $8.25 effective January 1, 2005, and $8.75 effective January 1, 2005. Thereafter, requires the commission to adjust the minimum wage annually, as specified, to maintain employee purchasing power.

(In Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)

AB 205 (Koretz-D) Business licenses and fees: employment

Prohibits a city or county from requiring business licenses or permits, or imposing taxes on specified income earned from work performed in the home.

Chapter 36, Statutes of 2001

AB 263 (Correa-D) Bonds: public works contracts

Requires bonding for all public contracts to be by a California-admitted surety insurer, and requires all public agencies to verify the above by either printing out information from the State Department of Insurance web site and attaching to the bond, or obtaining a certificate from the county clerk and attaching it to the bond.

Chapter 181, Statutes of 2001

AB 276 (Migden-D) Discrimination: remedies

Extends from one to two years the time given to the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing to investigate civil violations of California's hate crimes law.

Chapter 813, Statutes of 2001

AB 800 (Wesson-D) Employment: workplace language policies

Make it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to adopt or enforce a policy that prohibits the use of any language in the workplace unless the policy is justified by a business necessity, as defined, and notice of the policy is given to employees. Codifies existing regulations regarding workplace language policies.

Chapter 295, Statutes of 2001

AB 925 (Aroner-D) Employment of persons with disabilities

Revises and expands programs to assist persons with disabilities to become employed.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1015 (Wright-D) Employment: retaliation

Extends employee anti-discrimination laws to applicants for employment and job training programs, and prohibits discrimination against employees and applicants for employment engaged in lawful conduct outside of employment, as specified. Exempts law enforcement agencies.

Chapter 820, Statutes of 2001

AB 1025 (Frommer-D) Lactation accommodation

Requires employers to provide reasonable unpaid break time and makes reasonable efforts to provide the use of an appropriate room for an employee to express breast milk for the employee's infant child.

Chapter 821, Statutes of 2001

AB 1069 (Koretz-D) Labor: complaints

Permits the Labor Commissioner to reconsider a formerly dismissed discrimination complaint based on finding by the U.S. Department of Labor that the complaint had merit.

Chapter 134, Statutes of 2001

AB 1131 (Frommer-D) Apprenticeship programs

Restricts state funding of apprenticeship training program to those programs which have been approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the State Department of Industrial Relations.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1309 (Goldberg-D) Employment: reports

Requires employers who solicit and/or obtain a public contract of $50,000 or more to submit reports on the gender and ethnicity of their work force to the contracting agency and the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Requires all employers and labor organizations with 100 or more employees to submit reports to the DFEH on the gender and ethnicity of their work force.

(Failed passage in Senate Judiciary; reconsideration granted)

AB 1343 (Canciamilla-D) Canciamilla occupational safety and health enforcement

Provides that an investigation related to specified complaints concerning unsafe employment need not include an onsite inspection if the complaint is a nonserious violation involving an employer already participating in a voluntary protection program, as defined.

(In Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)

AB 1356 (Aanestad-R) Occupational safety and health

Limits the access of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to an employer's self-audit report, and limits the authority of the division to issue a citation for a violation of an Occupational Safety and Health Standard discovered during an employer's voluntary self-audit and corrected as specified.

(Failed passage in Assembly Labor and Employment Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1404 (Cox-R) Working hours: flexible schedule

Allows certain individual health care workers to adopt an alternative workweek schedule with the consent of the employer.

(Failed passage in Assembly Labor and Employment Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1448 (Maddox-R) Prevailing wage laws

Repeals the sunset date on provisions of law that exempt a contractor from liability for payroll and overtime violations by a subcontractor on a public works project.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1456 (Briggs-R) Minimum wage

Requires the Industrial Welfare Commission to reduce the minimum wage in high unemployment rate counties based on a specified formula.

(Failed passage in Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)

AB 1475 (Liu-D) Employment harassment: religious exemption

Makes the Fair Employment and Housing Act provisions prohibiting harassment in the workplace (because of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, or sexual orientation), applicable to hospitals or health care facilities affiliated with or owned by religious institutions.

Chapter 909, Statutes of 2001

AB 1599 (Negrete McLeod-D) Age discrimination in employment

Makes it an unlawful employment practice, subject to certain exceptions, for an employer on the basis of a person's age to refuse to hire or employ the person, to refuse to select the person for a training program leading to employment, to bar or discharge the person from employment or from a training program leading to employment, or to discriminate against the person in compensation or in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.

(In Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)

AB 1635 (Vargas-D) Personnel records

Provides that employees may, at their own expense, obtain copies of the same personnel records that they may now inspect.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1649 (Goldberg-D) Discrimination

Expands the definition of "sex" to include gender for anti-harassment and discrimination purposes.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1674 (Assembly Labor And Employment Committee) Industrial relations: enforcement

Requires the Director of the State Department of Industrial Relations (Department) to report to the Legislature not later than July 1, 2002, on the coordination of enforcement activities among the divisions in the department and between the department and other departments and agencies with respect to employers who are in violation of multiple labor laws.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1675 (Koretz-D) Sheepherders

Establishes requirements related to wages, hours, and working conditions for sheepherders.

Chapter 948, Statutes of 2001

AB 1676 (Assembly Labor And Employment Committee) Minimum labor standards

Requires the Labor Commissioner to develop and maintain a statewide database of labor standards violations.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1678 (Assembly Labor And Employment Committee) Industrial relations: limited English speakers

Expands, to cover all six divisions of the State Department of Industrial Relations, the current Labor Code bilingual services requirements which apply specifically to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

ACR 49 (Liu-D) The Equal Pay Act

Declares April 3, 2001, to be "Equal Pay Day" and urges California citizens to recognize the full value of women's skills and contributions to the labor force.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

Workers' Compensation

SB 69 (Battin-R) Workers' Compensation: death benefits

Deletes the requirement that recipients of a specified scholarship for law enforcement dependents be financially needy.

(In Senate Education Committee)

SB 71 (Burton-D) Workers' compensation: administration and benefits

Increases workers' compensation benefits and enacts reforms in the administration of the workers' compensation system. Increases, over a five year period, the minimum and maximum temporary disability and permanent total disability benefits and the minimum and maximum permanent partial disability benefits. Increases the life pension benefits and the death benefits. Makes changes to enhance enforcement, increases various penalties, commissions a study, eliminates a specified employer tax, establishes an ombudsman, and makes other administrative reforms intended to streamline the system.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 424 (Burton-D) Workers' compensation

Creates a disputable presumption that lower back impairment developing or manifesting itself with respect to specified public safety personnel arises out of and in the course of employment of service.

Chapter 834, Statutes of 2001

SB 678 (Figueroa-D) Worker's compensation

Adds the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation to the list of entities that may use the individually identifiable information as necessary to carry out their duties.

(In Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee)

SB 730 (O'Connell-D) Workers' compensation: death benefits

Prohibits proceeds of death benefits received by a dependent of a peace officer, correctional officer or employee, or a firefighter from being considered when determining financial needs for eligibility for Cal Grant scholarships.

Chapter 806, Statutes of 2001

SB 1176 (Machado-D) Workers' compensation: cancer: peace officers

Extends the cancer presumption under Workers' Compensation law to the following additional categories of peace officers: employees of the State Department of Fish and Game, employees of the State Department of Parks and Recreation, and investigators of the State Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1222 (Romero-D) Workers' compensation

Creates a disputable presumption that heart trouble, pneumonia, cancer, tuberculosis, or meningitis developing or manifesting itself with respect to specified state public safety personnel arises out of and in the course of employment of service.

Chapter 835, Statutes of 2001

AB 129 (Rod Pacheco-R) Workers' compensation

Requires applicants for employment to disclose prior violations of fraud and abuse in the workers' compensation system.

(Failed passage in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 176 (Nation-D) Workers' compensation: security deposits

Requires that a deposit by a workers' compensation insurer of securities registered with a qualified depository located in a reciprocal state, be made in a bank or savings and loan association authorized to engage in the trust business, or a trust company, that is licensed to do business and located in California, and that is a qualified custodian, as specified.

Chapter 73, Statutes of 2001

AB 262 (Correa-D) Workers' compensation

Provides the continuation of death benefits in the case of a totally dependent minor child of a safety member, as defined, if the safety member was killed in the line of duty prior to January 1, 1990.

Chapter 589, Statutes of 2001

AB 486 (Steinberg-D) Workers' Compensation Appeals Board: composition

Requires the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board to include at least one member from organized labor.

(Held at Assembly Desk)

AB 507 (Havice-D) Workers' compensation: custody assistants: disability

Extends to Los Angeles County custody assistants the provision entitling certain peace officers and other specified public employees, who are disabled by injury or illness arising out of and in the course of their duties, to a leave of absence without loss of salary up to one year, in lieu of temporary disability payments.

(In Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee)

AB 519 (Richman-R) Workers' compensation

Requires the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation to adopt an official payment schedule for outpatient surgeries performed pursuant to the workers' compensation laws of this state, as specified.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 663 (Vargas-D) Workers' compensation: lifeguards

Creates a disputable presumption that skin cancer developing or manifesting itself with respect to specified lifeguards arises out of and in the course of employment.

Chapter 846, Statutes of 2001

AB 1109 (Maddox-R) Workers' compensation

Deletes the prohibition on third party administrators from disclosing or causing to be disclosed to an employer medical information about an employee who has filed a workers' compensation claim unless certain exceptions are met. Authorizes an insured employer, or the employer's agents, brokers, and certain employees, to obtain medical information regarding an injury to an employee who has filed a workers' compensation claim.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1176 (Calderon-D) Workers' compensation

Contains several substantive provisions to follow-up SB 71 (Burton), which increases workers' compensation benefits, and enacts reforms in the administration of the workers' compensation system.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1177 (Calderon-D) Workers' compensation: official medical fee schedule

Permits a health care provider or licensed health facility, as specified, and a contracting agent, employer, or carrier to contract for reimbursement rates different from those in the official medical fee schedule. Extends the "sunset" date of an interim modified payment schedule in the official medical fee schedule for implantable hardware and instrumentation costs for spinal related surgeries until the effective date of new regulations for health care facilities, as specified.

Chapter 252, Statutes of 2001

AB 1179 (Calderon-D) Workers' compensation

Requires an employer or insurer to make available to its workers' compensation bill reviewer all documentation submitted with the billing by a physician or medical provider.

Chapter 240, Statutes of 2001

AB 1180 (Calderon-D) Insurance

Requires that an insurer provide a premium and loss history report, and loss experience information for the current policy period with respect to certain policies of commercial insurance and workers' compensation, upon the request of the insured, or the agent, or broker of record, where authorized by the insured, irrespective of nonrenewal.

Chapter 102, Statutes of 2001

AB 1194 (Correa-D) Workers' compensation

Permits physician assistants and nurse practitioners to cosign a doctor's first report of injury and to provide medical treatment to workers' compensation claimants, including authorizing the claimant to receive time off from work for a period not to exceed three calendar days.

Chapter 229, Statutes of 2001

AB 1446 (Maddox-R) Workers' compensation

Prohibits the application of the state's workers' compensation system to injuries and occupational diseases that are subject to the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and regulations promulgated under that act, until proceedings for the recovery of benefits under the act or those regulations have been instituted and exhausted.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1681 (Canciamilla-D) Workers' compensation

Allows researchers employed by or under contract with the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation to use individually identifiable information maintained by the Division of Workers' Compensation as necessary to carry out the commission's research.

Chapter 792, Statutes of 2001

Unemployment Insurance

SB 40 (Alarcon-D) Unemployment insurance: benefits

Increases maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefits, requires the State Employment Development Department to conduct a study regarding eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits and an alternative base period, qualifies specified part-time employees for benefits, and clarifies that penalty amounts given to employees under the federal plant closure law are not considered wages for purposes of benefit reduction.

Chapter 409, Statutes of 2001

SB 523 (Alpert-D) Unemployment insurance

Ensures that computation of unemployment insurance benefits lists the costs of training extension benefits and provides that an employer may protest the application of those costs being charged against its reserve account.

(Held at Assembly Desk)

SB 1121 (Margett-R) Tax work opportunity credits: disability benefits

Allows a credit, in conformity to federal income tax laws, as provided, in an amount equal to 40 percent of qualified wages paid to individuals who are qualified state disability insurance recipients. Provides extended unemployment compensation disability insurance for an additional 26 times an individual's weekly benefit amount to complete approved job training or occupational rehabilitation.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 1128 (Kuehl-D) Unemployment insurance: employee status

Provides that an unemployment insurance eligibility determination of whether a person is an employee or an independent contractor shall incorporate the principles of a California Supreme Court decision. Declares and finds that various labor laws are part of an overall social insurance program.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1537 (Horton-D) Unemployment insurance: Indian tribes

Requires all federally recognized Indian tribes in California to provide unemployment insurance coverage to their employees and gives Indian tribes the option of reimbursable financing for the unemployment insurance program.

Chapter 255, Statutes of 2001

AB 1607 (Bates-R) Employees and service-providers

Seeks to determine whether certain independent contractors should be exempt from state reporting requirements related to child support enforcement.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1729 (Assembly Insurance Committee) Unemployment insurance

Makes changes to reporting requirements, revises definitions, corrects cross-references, updates references to federal law, and repeals outdated provisions.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

Financial Institutions

SB 24 (Polanco-D) Financial investments

Enacts the California Certified Capital Company Act to establish an incentive program, using credits against gross premium taxes, for insurance companies to invest in certified capital companies in this state, which in turn make investments in new or expanding businesses.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 400 (Ackerman-R) Securities

Provides, with respect to certain offers and sales of securities issued by a corporation or limited liability company that are exempted, that the failure of the corporation or limited liability company to file a notice of transaction does not limit the availability of the exemption if the notice is filed within 15 business days after a demand by the Commissioner of the State Department Corporations.

Chapter 58, Statutes of 2001

SB 773 (Speier-D) Financial institutions: confidential information

Enacts the Financial Information Privacy Act of 2002, which requires a financial institution to (1) provide specified notice to, and obtain the written consent of, a consumer before disclosing any confidential customer information to any third party, including an affiliated company, and (2) take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party providing such information to the financial institution has followed similar notice and consent procedures with regard to that information. Provides various civil and criminal remedies and penalties for negligent or knowing and willing violation of these provisions.

(Refused passage on Assembly Floor; reconsideration granted)

SB 898 (Perata-D) Check cashers: deferred deposit

Amends check casher deferred deposit laws and makes substantive revisions affecting "payday loans".

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

SB 1225 (Senate Banking, Commerce, And International Trade Committee) Industrial banks

Authorizes industrial banks to accept deposit accounts, a term that includes saving deposits and share draft accounts, but specifically excludes demand deposits (or checking accounts).

Chapter 61, Statutes of 2001

AB 21 (Leslie-R) Financial institutions: privacy

Requires financial institutions to provide customers with the opportunity to request that the institution refrain from sharing confidential consumer information with an affiliate and any nonaffiliated third party. As a result, places the burden on consumers to affirmatively notify their financial institutions in all instances when they do not want their personal financial information disclosed to others (an "opt-out" approach).

(Failed passage in Assembly Judiciary Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 29* (Papan-D) Capital access loan program

Enacts various cleanup provisions to legislation enacted last year affecting the Capital Access Loan Program for small businesses.

Chapter 160, Statutes of 2001

AB 120 (Havice-D) Discrimination: military personnel: loans and financing

Prohibits a person who provides lending or financing from discriminating against any person regarding terms of a loan or financing based on that person's membership in military forces of California or the United States.

Chapter 299, Statutes of 2001

AB 203 (Jackson-D) Privacy: financial transactions

Prohibits a financial institution without a consumer's prior written consent, from disclosing or making an unrelated use of the personal information collected by the financial institution in connection with any transaction with the consumer involving any financial product or any financial service or otherwise obtained by the financial institution. Requires various disclosures by financial institutions to consumers. Allows an individual to bring an action against a financial institution, or affiliate, or nonaffiliated third party for negligent disclosure or use of personal information.

(Failed passage in Assembly Banking and Finance Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 392 (Maddox-R) Escrow agents

Requires the Commissioners of the State Department of Real Estate, the State Department of Corporations, and the State Department of Insurance to notify each other when taking enforcement or disciplinary action related to specified escrow services, and maintain web sites that include a database of individuals who have been subject to such disciplinary actions.

Chapter 660, Statutes of 2001

AB 459 (Nation-D) Escrow agents: fees

Restructures the scheme for escrow companies to pay annual licensing fees to the State Department of Corporations.

Chapter 499, Statutes of 2001

AB 544 (Maldonado-R) Escrow agents

Addresses two distinct issues related to the Escrow Agents Fidelity Corporation (EAFC): (1) EAFC coverage for out-of-state escrow companies, and (2) changing the deductible an EAFC member must pay if they sustain a covered loss by an uncertified employee.

Chapter 662, Statutes of 2001

AB 684 (Kehoe-D) Credit unions

Expands the list of services that credit unions can offer to include trust services, as specified.

(In Senate Banking, Commerce and International Trade Committee)

AB 714 (Firebaugh-D) Money transmitters

Provides clarity and uniformity in posting requirements for money transmitters by requiring that a uniform fee and exchange rate for each product offered be posted at each office location. Requires that all exchange rates and fees associated with specified products be uniform throughout California.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 743 (Robert Pacheco-R) Credit unions

Gives credit unions the authority granted to banks and savings and loans under current law to provide financial services to state and local governmental agencies.

Chapter 430, Statutes of 2001

AB 784 (Hertzberg-D) Personal information: customer records

Includes bank account balance information in the list of personal information that businesses are required to dispose of in a manner which makes such information unreadable or undecipherable.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 1048 (Frommer-D) Securities

Amends the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 to remove barriers to electronic filing with the Investment Advisor Registration Depository, a national uniform electronic filing system, established by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission and the North American Security Administrators Association.

Chapter 264, Statutes of 2001

AB 1068 (Papan-D) Escrow agents: inspections and examinations

Authorizes Internet escrow agents to submit required audit reports electronically to the State Department of Corporations.

(In Senate Banking, Commerce and International Trade Committee)

AB 1163 (Calderon-D) Money transmitters

Enacts additional reporting and disclosure requirements relating to the money transmitting business, and requires the Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to conduct a study on this business.

(In Senate Banking, Commerce and International Trade Committee)

AB 1230 (Papan-D) Finance lenders

Streamlines the licensing process under the Finance Lenders Law administered by the State Department of Corporations.

Chapter 392, Statutes of 2001)

AB 1581 (Frommer-D) Check cashers: deferred deposit loans

Modifies Payday Loan Law to define consecutive transaction, limit amount of loan, require reporting of data, modify fees and requires a surety bond. Restructures the maximum amount a deferred deposit personal check can be written for based upon the lesser of $300 to 25 percent of the customer's gross monthly income.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 1732 (Assembly Insurance Committee) Insurance premium financing corporations

Repeals the Industrial Loan Law and enacts the Insurance Premium Finance Law, to license and regulate insurance premium financing corporations, which are in the business of advancing money directly or indirectly to an insurer or insurance producer at the request of an insured pursuant to the terms of a premium finance agreement.

(In Assembly Insurance Committee)

Miscellaneous

SB 26* (Figueroa-D) Business and professions

Extends the deadline for the State Department of Consumer Affairs to submit a report to the Legislature concerning engineering branch titles from September 1, 2001, to September 1, 2002. Extends the sunset date for the appointment of the registrar of contractors (executive director) for the Contractors' State Licensing Board, as well as other appointed positions on the Board, from July 1, 2001, to July 1, 2003.

Chapter 615, Statutes of 2001

SB 109 (Ackerman-R) Unfair practices

Amends the Uniform Competition Law to impose certain restrictions on representative private actions brought under that law in the interest of the general public.

(Failed passage in Senate Judiciary Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 133 (Figueroa-D) Accountants

Modifies the existing examination, education and experience requirements for certified public accountant applicants. Requires the State Accounting Board (board) to adopt regulations to implement peer review requirements . Adds one public member to the board and replaces the board member position designated for a "public accountant" with a position designed for a licensee from a small firm. Extends the sunset dates for the board and the executive director to January, 2007. Changes various statutory caps on fees.

Double-joined with AB 585 (Nation-D), Chapter 704, Statutes of 2001.

Chapter 718, Statutes of 2001

Similar bill is AB 270 (Correa-D), which in on the Senate Inactive File.

SB 135 (Figueroa-D) Contractors

Requires the Registrar at the Contractors' State License Board to disclose specific information to the public concerning accusations and investigations associated with contractors and to disclose specific information regarding legal actions, effective July 1, 2002.

Chapter 494, Statutes of 2001

SB 136 (Figueroa-D) Professional boards

Extends the sunset review dates for the Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the California Tax Education Council, and the California Council for Interior Design Certification. Increases licensing fees for professional engineers and land surveyors regulated by the Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and makes other technical and clarifying changes pursuant to the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Sunset Review committee and the State Department of Consumer Affairs.

Chapter 495, Statutes of 2001

SB 208 (Alpert-D) Private investigators

Exempts, under specified conditions, an independent contractor, who possesses a certificate or degree in human resource management and who analyzes and makes recommendations regarding workplace harassment incidents, from the Private Investigator Act.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 263 (Johnson-R) Limited liability companies and partnerships

Requires the Secretary of State to include, with instructional materials related to the registration of limited liability partnerships (LLP) and limited liability companies (LLC), a notice that registration will obligate the LLP or LLC to pay an annual tax to the State Franchise Tax Board (FTB) for the calendar year of registration. Provides that the notice is to be updated annually to specify the annual tax payable to the FTB.

Chapter 435, Statutes of 2001

SB 324 (Ackerman-R) Corporations: mergers and tax liabilities

Streamlines certain corporate mergers by eliminating the redundant requirement that the State Franchise Tax Board certify that the franchise and income tax obligations of a disappearing entity have been satisfied.

Chapter 50, Statutes of 2001

SB 366 (Haynes-R) Innocent partner: protections

Provides that no levy for an underpayment for any taxable year, beginning on or before December 31, 2000, attributable to an abusive tax shelter, shall be made on the principal residence or proceeds from a transaction involving the principal residence of an innocent investor, as defined, and provides that a lien on that property, or the proceeds of the sale of that property, shall be released, as provided.

Chapter 669, Statutes of 2001

SB 399 (Ackerman-R) Business organizations

Establishes the process by which a California corporation may convert into another form of California business entity (limited liability company, general partnership, or limited partnership), and vice versa. Specifies the effects of conversion on rights and obligations of shareholders (or other holders of interest) and on creditors of the converting corporation. Specifies the effect of conversion on real property owned by a converting corporation (or other business entity) that is transferred, during the conversion, to the new business entity or organization.

(In Assembly Banking and Finance Committee)

SB 403 (Machado-D) Weighmasters

Authorizes weighmasters to use a predetermined tare weight for any vehicle moving ready mixed concrete and authorizes predetermined tares with the driver in the vehicle for vehicles moving ready mixed concrete, if certain conditions are met.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

SB 542 (Ortiz-D) Cemeteries

Allows unoccupied portions of family plots located in private cemeteries to be sold, as specified, and amends various cemetery law definitions.

Chapter 436, Statutes of 2001

SB 694 (Sher-D) Athlete agents

Conforms existing law regarding the regulation of athletic agents with that of the Uniform Athletic Agent Act. Allows the State Department of Consumer Affairs to establish a registration and renewal fee in a sufficient amount to fund administration costs.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 722 (Figueroa-D) Security businesses

Revises fee and fine amounts in connection with private patrol operators and other specified entities and modifies the education course known as the Security Guard Power of Arrest course required by the Private Security Services Act.

Chapter 607, Statutes of 2001

SB 723 (Figueroa-D) Cemeteries

Makes various changes in the Cemeteries Act, relative to fees, licensing and inspection authority.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

SB 742* (Escutia-D) Corporations: security related actions

Among other provisions, requires the Commissioner of the State Department of Corporations to reduce or suspend fees charged in connection with securities-related actions in a manner that will result in a fund balance no greater than 25 percent of the state Corporations Fund by June 30, 2007.

Chapter 118, Statutes of 2001

SB 769 (Figueroa-D) Sentry dogs

Establishes permit requirements for sentry dog services and establishes a fine schedule for violations associated with the permit requirements.

Chapter 377, Statutes of 2001

SB 814 (Oller-R) Franchises

Authorizes a franchisee to pursue damages, including attorney's fees, from a franchisor that violates the California Franchise Relations Act, by terminating or failing to renew a franchise. Authorizes a franchisee that is not provided with adequate notice of termination of a franchise to seek injunctive relief.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 871 (Burton-D) Commercial vehicles

Makes a number of changes to law relating to commercial vehicles to ensure existing provisions regarding drug and alcohol screening are followed and to make the carriers responsible when they are not.

Chapter 298, Statutes of 2001

Similar legislation is AB 880 (Florez-D, which is in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 886 (Polanco-D) Barbering and cosmetology

Revises the provisions of the Barbering and Cosmetology Act, relative to practice in specialty areas in order for an applicant to take the examination as a cosmetologist, barber, esthetician, manicurist, or electrologist, and revises provisions concerning training and instruction credit.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

SB 887 (Polanco-D) Barbering and cosmetology

Changes specified minimum hours of technical training and practical operations for nail care courses, setting forth specific minimum hour requirements for certain subjects. Sets qualifications to admit an applicant to take a master cosmetologist examination and provides for the scope of that examination.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

SB 898 (Perata-D) Limited liability companies

Permanently sets the amount of the limited liability company (LLC) annual fee and amends the definition of total income to remove income reported to California for purposes of the LLC annual fee by another LLC.

SB 929 (Machado-D) Contractors

Allows the Contractors' State License Board, on an annual basis, to transfer up to one percent of revenues accruing in the Contractors' License Fund from the previous year to the Construction Education Account, in order to promote education in the construction industry.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 941 (Costa-D) Pallets

Includes pallets within the definition of the term "junk".

Chapter 60, Statutes of 2001

SB 986 (Torlakson-D) Elevators

Revises existing law relating to elevator inspections and permits to additionally cover other conveyances including, in part, escalators, platform and stairway chair lifts, dumbwaiters, material lifts, moving walks and automated people movers. Extends inspection and permit requirements to these other types of conveyances and authorizes the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt emergency regulations to implements its provisions.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1048 (Speier-D) Drivers: commercial vehicles

Makes a number of changes to the laws regulating commercial drivers, including requiring compliance with federal drug testing regulations and requiring on-board recording devices on all trucks to record a driver's hours.

(Failed passage in Assembly Transportation Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 1194 (Romero-D) Immigration consultants

Makes it unlawful for any person to hold himself/herself out to be an immigration consultant, unless he/she has on file, with the Secretary of State, the required bond and maintains that bond for the duration of the period covered by any advertisement that the person is an immigration consultant, as specified.

Chapter 304, Statutes of 2001

AB 119 (Chavez-D) Securities: broker-dealers

Allows broker-dealers to have background checks of potential employees done by the State Department of Justice.

Chapter 547, Statutes of 2001

AB 143 (Washington-D) Locksmiths

Requires locksmiths to maintain a bond of $2,500 for the benefit of persons damaged by a locksmith's failure to comply with the duties and restrictions placed upon locksmiths, pursuant to existing law.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 158 (Robert Pacheco-R) Vocational registration

Amends the law regulating vocational registration certificates to facilitate license renewal procedures for process servers, professional photocopiers, legal document assistants, and unlawful detainer assistants. Allows a registration to be renewed 60 days prior to the registration date and provides that the renewal of registration will take effect on the expiration date of the previous registration.

Chapter 35, Statutes of 2001

AB 161 (Maddox-R) Dog breeders

Defines a dog breeder as any individual or organization that sells, transfers, or gives away all or part of three or more litters or 20 or more dogs in the preceding 12 months. Adds a requirement that breeders socialize their dogs to humans and prohibits a breeder from primarily housing a dog on wire flooring.

Chapter 350, Statutes of 2001

AB 205 (Koretz-D) Business licenses and taxes

Prohibits any city including a charter city, city and county, or county, from requiring an employee to obtain a business license or home business occupation permit for, or imposing a business tax or registration fee based on income earned for services performed for an employer by the employee in the employment relationship.

Chapter 36, Statutes of 2001

AB 248 (Correa-D) Private security

Subjects individuals that do not carry deadly weapons, but that are exclusively and regularly employed by an employer that does not provide contract security services for other entities or persons, to the provisions governing the licensing and regulation of private security services.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 264 (Correa-D) Service and repair contractors

Authorizes a new type of specialty contractor called the recover and repair contractor.

(Sent to Interim Study)

AB 266 (Leonard-R) Barbering and cosmetology

Increases the hours that cosmetology externs can work from eight hours to 16 hours per week, as specified.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 269 (Correa-D) Vocational licensing boards

Creates the Division of Enforcement Oversight, within the State Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), and requires it, under the direction of the Director of DCA, to monitor and evaluate the consumer complaint and discipline system of each board. Provides that the executive officer of each board within DCA will be appointed by a three member panel, comprised of a representative of the board, the director and the Governor's appointment secretary.

(Sent to Interim Study)

AB 286 (Cedillo-D) Boxers' pensions

Changes the name of the Boxers' Pension Account to the Boxers' Pension Fund, establishes the fund in the State Treasury and prohibits the transfer of any money to the General Fund.

Chapter 776, Statutes of 2001

AB 356 (Correa-D) Security services

Revises the insurance requirements for private patrol operators and increases the minimum limit of insurance from $500,000 to $1 million. Requires that the insurance policy name the State Department of Consumer Affairs as an additional insured.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 408 (Correa-D) Funeral establishments

Makes various change to the laws that govern cemetery, crematory and funeral establishment licenses.

Chapter 305, Statutes of 2001

AB 446 (Assembly Business And Professions Committee) Professions and vocations

Makes various changes to the law governing the Electronic and Appliances Repair Dealer Registration Bureau Law, the Private Security Services' Act, and the Structural Pest control Operations Act. Allows the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau, the Board of Registration for Geologists and Geophysicists, the Landscape Architects Program, the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services and the Veterinary Medical Board to collect all accrued and unpaid penalties on delinquent renewals upon renewal of an expired license.

Chapter 306, Statutes of 2001

AB 535 (John Campbell-R) Engineers

Allows the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors to reprimand, suspend, or revoke the certificate of a registered professional engineer who has been convicted of insurance fraud.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 585 (Nation-D) Accountants

Modifies existing examination, education and experience requirements for certified public accountant applicants, establishes new education, examination and experience requirements to conform to the national Uniform Accountancy Act and creates a peer review process for registered firms who wish to provide attest services.

Double-joined with SB 133 (Figueroa-D).

Chapter 704, Statutes of 2001

AB 601 (Leach-R) Business contracts

Authorizes limited liability companies (LLCs) and partnerships to enter into noncompetitive contracts. Extends to a LLC and a partnership the authorization that a corporation has in selling all of its operating assets, together with its goodwill, to contract with the buyer to refrain from competing with the business sold.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 678 (Papan-D) Unlicensed contractors

Allows individuals who use the services of an unlicensed contractor to bring an action to recover all compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for performance of any act or contract.

Chapter 226, Statutes of 2001

AB 761 (Maddox-R) Private investigators

Makes various changes to the Private Investigators Act with regard to the licensing examination provisions of the law.

Chapter 309, Statutes of 2001

AB 783 (Kelley-R) Repossession agencies

Provides that, when a vehicle is seized, the legal owner shall only be charged the administrative costs if the legal owner voluntarily requests a poststorage hearing. Clarifies current law regarding the documents a legal owner must present to get a seized vehicle out of impound.

Chapter 554, Statutes of 2001

AB 794 (Shelley-D) Contractors

Prohibits a licensed contractor from inserting, into any contract with an employee, specified unlawful contract provisions set forth in the Civil Code.

(In Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 875 (Horton-D) Auctioneers and auction companies

Reenacts the Auctioneer and Auction Licensing Act, regulating auctioneers and auction companies, which was repealed in 1993.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 908 (Maddox-R) Building maintenance services

Prohibits any person from acting as a building maintenance service contractor, unless currently licensed by the Labor Commissioner, as specified.

(In Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)

AB 922 (Nakano-D) Internet service providers

Requires an Internet service provider to provide forwarding service to each customer, who has maintained an account for a period of at least one year, to receive electronic mail through the provider and who subsequently discontinues a business relationship with the new provider. Requires the forwarding service to the customer's new electronic mail address to be provided for a period of three months after discontinuance of the business relationship.

(In Assembly Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Committee)

AB 1021 (Goldberg-D) Parking and business improvement areas

Recasts and reorganizes various provisions of the Property and Business District Law of 1994.

Chapter 88, Statutes of 2001

AB 1074 (Nakano-D) Floral and ornamental products to vendors

Prohibits providers or vendors of floral or ornamental products or services from misrepresenting the geographic location of their business.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

AB 1087 (Calderon-D) Electricians: apprenticeships

Establishes a date certain for specified electricians who have met standards for training and competency to be certified and requires the state to issue certification cards. Specifies that apprentices in state or federally approved programs are exempt.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1144 (Bates-R) Architectural services

Requires architects to provide their mailing address and the name and address of the entity through which they provide architectural services to the State Architects Board.

Chapter 313, Statutes of 2001

AB 1277 (Cardenas-D) Funeral directors

Requires the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau of the State Department of Consumer Affairs to develop a form that will be required to be provided to consumers by a funeral establishment prior to the drafting of a contract for funeral services.

Chapter 715, Statutes of 2001

AB 1297 (Papan-D) Pawnbrokers: fees

Increases various pawnbroker administrative fees.

Chapter 505, Statutes of 2001

AB 1534 (Longville-D) Contractors: works of improvement

Requires property owners who contract for construction projects with a value of $5 million or $1 million, depending on whether the owner's interest in the property is fee simple or less than fee simple, respectively, to financially secure the project by one of several methods, as defined. Requires property owners who contract for certain construction projects to disclose to the contractor the amount being borrowed to pay for the project.

Chapter 823, Statutes of 2001

AB 1596 (Shelley-D) Architects

Extends the sunset date, from January 1, 2002 to January 1, 2007, for the authorization to form limited liability partnerships and foreign limited liability partnerships to engage in the practice of architecture.

Chapter 595, Statutes of 2001

AB 1644 (John Campbell-R) Securities: exempt offerings

Exempts small private offerings (up to $1 million) from registration under federal and California securities laws.

(Died in Assembly Banking and Finance Committee)

AB 1656 (Goldberg-D) Self-service storage facilities

Imposes registration and disclosure requirements on self-service storage facilities that transport household goods.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1679 (Shelley-D) Contractors

Provides that a licensed contractor that uses the services of a temporary employment agency, employment referral service, labor contractor, or other similar entity, is deemed to be the employer of any individual furnished by those entities for specified purposes relating to compensation, working hours, wages, employee working conditions, public works, workers' compensation, insurance and employment safety. Specifies that these provisions do not apply to employees of a public agency performing work on a public works project.

Vetoed by the Governor

Index (in Bill Order)